New Study Shows Community Oncology Plays Critical Role in Reducing Cancer-Related Financial Toxicity for Patients

Peer-reviewed analysis finds community oncology delivers high-quality care at substantially lower costs compared to hospital outpatient settings

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, December 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) supports the release of a new peer-reviewed study published in The American Journal of Public Health demonstrating that independent community oncology practices significantly reduce the financial toxicity experienced by cancer patients compared to hospital outpatient settings. Financial toxicity is defined as the economic burden of cancer care to patients and their families.

The study, “The Role of Utilizing Community Oncology Care To Decrease Cancer-Related Financial Toxicity,” analyzes real-world claims data and identifies dramatic cost differences driven by lower drug markups, reduced facility fees, and more efficient care delivery in independent community settings.

The research led by Lucio Gordan, MD, president & managing physician at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS), found that patients treated in community oncology clinics had a mean monthly cost of care that was 24 percent lower than the hospital outpatient setting ($12,548 in the community setting compared to $16,555 in hospital outpatient settings.) Even when examining branded chemotherapy alone, community oncology care averaged 39 percent less ($6,674 in the community oncology setting versus $10,900 in hospital-based clinics.)

“These findings reinforce what many of us in community oncology have long observed,” said lead study author Dr. Gordan. “Patients benefit not only from compassionate, personalized care close to home, but also from dramatically lower financial strain during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.”

The study highlights the outsized impact that drug markups and facility fees have on patients’ total cost of care – both of which are substantially higher in hospital-based oncology departments. By contrast, independent community oncology practices routinely deliver the same evidence-based therapies at a fraction of the cost, lowering patients’ out-of-pocket expenses and reducing broader systemwide spending.

“This new data reaffirms what COA has championed for years – that community oncology is the backbone of cancer care in this country, delivering better value and outcomes for patients,” said Ted Okon, executive director of COA. “As policymakers and stakeholders evaluate solutions to rising cancer costs, it is critical that we do everything we can to support and strengthen the independent community oncology system.”

The study is “The Role of Utilizing Community Oncology Care To Decrease Cancer-Related Financial Toxicity” and is published in the November edition of the American Journal of Public Health. ISSN 3064-6677. Access at:
https://directivepublications.org/tajoph/articles/The-Role-Of-Utilizing-Community-Oncology-Care-To-Decrease-Cancer-Related-Financial-Toxicity.pdf

About the Community Oncology Alliance
The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for community oncology practices and, most importantly, the patients they serve. COA is the only organization dedicated solely to community oncology where the majority of Americans with cancer are treated. The mission of COA is to ensure that patients with cancer receive quality, affordable, and accessible cancer care in their own communities. Learn more about COA at www.communityoncology.org.

Drew Lovejoy
Community Oncology Alliance
info@coacancer.org

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